Bumper mechanism



Sept. 29, 1931. E. F. OHLENDRF BUMPER MECHANISM Filed July 12, 1930 3Sheets-Sheet l irl m @y l Sept. 29, 1931; E.F. oHLENDoRF 1,825,086

BUMPER MECHANI SM Filed July 12. 1.930

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 29, 1931. E. F. OHLENDORF BUMPER MECHANISM FiledJuly 12,

195o s sheets-Sheer 5 Patented Sept. 29, 1931 :6Min nbnLnNnoRF, lorMoulin, `Innrnois d nutrient. MncHANsM Application i filccll'uly 12,

This inventiony relates to aL bumper for vehicles and particularly tothetypeV designed for mechanically propelled vehicles using a transverselydisposed springbar f5 which yields under impact and automaticallyassumes normal position* y v An important feature ofthe invention is theprovision lof connectionsbetween lthe bumper and vehicle wherebyitfislpossible' to inake the bumper bars with amuchfhigher elastic limitthan isnow-po'ssible, thusLcausing the bumper bars'to automaticallyreturn the parts to a normal position.

Another feature is' the mountinglof a truss bar at the rear ofthe 'frontbumper bars as a means of reinforcement. Y

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof,reference iis-*Ito 'be had to the accompanyingdrawings and the followingdescription, in which corresponding and like parts are designated bysimilar reference characters. l v

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a top planviewof a-port-ion of abumper illustrative of anembodiment of the invention, showingone side and the r p K l' `members`1l and` each-of the members 2 and center truss bar clamp. v

Figure 2 is an enlarged fdetailside view of a resistance connectionbetween the front and rear bars comprising the bumper, partly insection, on the line 2 2 of yFigure 1,1ocking in the direction of thearrows.' y

Figure 3 is a detail sectionalview on the line 3 3 of Figure 2, lookingin the -direction indicated' by the arrows. 4 l f Figure 4 is a top planView of a bumper showing a modificatio'nof the rear truss bar andresistancekv units, an, end portion being broken away, and the dottedlines indicating the position of the partsv whenjan end of-the bumperyieldsy under impact.v

Figure 5 is an enlarged -sectional View' onV the line 5 5 of Figure 4. Yf

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional-view' on the ,line 6 6 of Figure l. fi

Figure 7 is an enlarged d n tai-lsidevview of the modiication on theline 7 7 lof'Figure 4, looking in the direction ofthe arrows, `partly insection. Y 1

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view onf-the y.tween the 'bars l and` andact as spacers.

`contemplates a housing k8a having a pair of y llbpasses to connect ittoears 5d project- `plate `12. Next tothe backing platew2iu'e placed tworollers 13. -Theserollers laxe adapted to move freely on the plate i2'and 1930. serial no. 467,562.7'

line 8 8 of Figure 7 ,looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.v

F'gure 9 is a :plan view'of a cover plate.

r inthe embodiment of the inventionillus- `trated, the bumper includesmembers or bans '95 1 and 2, an intermediate brace, andelamps connectingthe brace `with the Vmembers 1.

` As shown mosty clearly in Figures 2, 5 and the members l are heldinrposition by' clamps 4' and. .5. The-.brace -3 consists 7of afwsinglebar and its ends 3a. are recurvied andclamped l to theinner ends ofthe'niembers2, ai; 6, the

brace 3b of the modification beingfsemized at and midway ofits ends totheA front memberl by clamps yand 4.Y The middle clamp Vincludes a body4, plate 7, connecting boit 711,.,-1'fension screw 41a, and iocklnut 4.The end clamps for thebrace 3l comprise plates 5., 5b and bolt 501.`Theend clamps for.V the brace-'3 consist Aof plates. 5,155, 5a,andhrolt" 5a. The bars land .1.3 are clamped between the plates 5, 5b,Aand 5e bolta between vthe fbars 1 and through :thev bar'z and plates.The plates-5b are.,disposedbe-`v K '15 A resistance is interposedbetweenjhe Y comprises a unit 8 and astripor slidel in the Vform of .abar. The resistanoeinnlt ;8

vlater-allyA extending vears 9- through whichfa pivot bolt '9a is passedto connect the unit to the end of the member 2. Within the housingk 8aare two stripsfl() and 10a,.of conposition'rubben fiber, or othersuitable. fric-4 tion materiali These strips I10 and lwzxe disposed onopposite-sides of .the slide'ber `1l. The bar llfis formedat its forwardend withan eye 11a through which a pivot boit ing rearwardly from' theplate 5a. ne-

tion strip] 10a has a backing plate l2 which has one end crimped, as at12a, to prevent the' friction' strip shifting in relation to` theV ininclined recesses 14: formed. in' a foiiofw plate 14a. adjusting scvewlisth'readin a side of-:theliousing 8a `and is .100

, keo-v f turnV to normal position, there is a reduction the same manneras the rollers-13 andV inclined recesses 14.

Side portions of the brace 3b at the ends thereof are brought together,as indicated-at 19 in Figure 8, and arev apertured to receive a bolt19awhich passes .through an eye at the forward end of the bar A11.1v Thepart 19 isaccommodated'ina slotf20 formed in the bar 11. Y In thismanner, aY substantial Vpivotalzconnection is had between the-bars 11Vand the brace 3b.

. The parts normally occupy the position indicated by full4 lines inFigures land 4, and when the bumper yields under impact, 5the partsassumethe position indicated by dotted lines in` Figure 4.- VThefriction'bar -11 slides in the resistancey unit 8 and the resistancebetween the surfaces in Vcontact reacts upon the bumper to retard itsmovement -both in yielding under impact and inreturning to normalposition when relieved of .the force of impact. It should. be stated'thatjthe resistance units` pivot onthe bolts 9a.to' prevent binding andcan be so adjusted that when forced,v back,the resistance :will beslightly less than the energy stored -fupin the spring bars and theexcess energy thus stored reacts to return the parts to normal positionf p It isY observed that the resistance unit,

'Whether of the friction, hydraulic,'or other `atype, is mounted betweenthe front and rear bumper members and may be pivoted to the grear'bumpermember or to an eye provided on' the frame of the chassis and formedwith .the horn 21 attached to the sideframe bar l22.

As .shown most :clearly in Figure 3, the partsare all innormal position.When the 'bumper is forced back, the bar 11 moves '.back. Through thefriction of the bar 11 .andfriction strip 10a, the plate y12` moves`backas shown by dotted lines. .This move- .ment .tends to shift therollers 13 to the dotted line position and up the inclinesof therecesses 14.. This increases the pressure and.y resistance ofv theelements 10, V10a against the bar 11'as it moves back. On the :rebound'of the bumper .the reverse takes place. As the bar 11 moves forward tovre- ?.ofthe vfriction between Ythe bar 11 and fric- .,tion' strip 10a byreason of the; rollers 13 `:moving downthe inclinesof the recesses 14.

.- :In: consequencethe resistance, onthe 'rebound of the bumper is lessthan the resistance offered when the bumper is forced back by impactwith an object. The modification as shown in Figure 8, utilizes links 17which rock or tilt, thereby increasing the resistance to the rearwardsliding movement of .the 4bars 11 and diminishingl the resistance .totheir forward movement, as will be readj ily appreciated. By adjustingthe screw 15 the resistance may be varied to meet con- Vditions. VHThelocknut 15a, secures the screw What is claimed is: f Y

1. A bumper mechanism including a bumper b a'r. and a resistance unitcomprising a sliding friction member connected to the bumper bar andhaving side faces, and gripping members frictionally engaging the sidefaces of the sliding friction member to resist movement of the, slidingmember. l

2. Ina bumper mechanism, a front bumper bar, and a resistance unitpivotally mounted,

and a sliding frictionbar frictionally held against rearward. movementby the resistance unit and having its yfront end connected with .thefront bumper bar.

3. In a bumperjmechanism Y including a resistance unit comprising ahousing, a friction bar slidable through the housing, friction stripsmounted on opposite sides of the Y friction bar,and a backing platemounted to bear against the friction stripon one side of the frlctionbar. Y

4. In a bumper mechanism, a resistance Vunit, including a housing, asliding friction bar` passing through the housing, friction vstripsmounted within the housing' on opposite sides of thefriction bar, abacking plate for the friction strip at one side of the friction bar, aplatein the housing adjustable towardsl and away from the backf ingplate and formed` with tapered lgrooves and rollers rollingon the faceof the backing plate and engaged in the tapered grooves formed in theadjustable plate.

5. In a bumper mechanism, a resistance-iii' unit, an adjustable `platehavingtapered grooves on 'its face, rollers rolling in said grooves, athreaded adjusting screw threaded into said housing, and aloek nut tolock said adjusting screw.

6..In abumper mechanism, a resistance unit holding resistance mechanism,an extension lip forminglower 'supporting means for said unit, a coverplate for said unit-having an Y extended lip to form; upper supportingmeans, bolts to clamp said cover plate to the resistance unit, and abolt passing through the lips to form a pivotal means between saidresistance unitand a support for the same.

7. In a bumper mechanism, the combination of front and rear bumper bars,friction bars sliding within resistance units, said resistance unitsoffering greater resistance .to said bars when moved in one directionthan when moved in the opposite direction.

8. In a bumper mechanism, a resistance unit housing, a sliding frictionbar assing through the resistance housing, riction strips mounted withinthe housing and on opposite sides of the friction bar, a retaining platefor the friction strip on one side of said Jfriction bar, lugs on saidretaining plate, lugs on the inside face of a wall of the resistanceunit housing., links pivotally mounted between the retaining plate andthe housing wall, and an adjusting screw to ad v just said retainingplate.

bar. Y

11. In a bumper mechanism, front bumper clamp plate.

10. In a bumper mechanism, resistance units, friction bars extendingfrom said resistance units, `an eye and slot being formed in the frontend of each friction bar, a front bumper bar, a rear truss bar, the endsof the truss bar beingfolded over to form suitable eyes in each end overthe truss bar,

and bolts passing through the eyes on therv friction bars and the endsof the rear truss bars, a rear bar, a center clamp for said bumper bars,consisting of a front plate, a rear clamp plate having upper and lowerlips supporting the rear truss bar and webs connecting the upper andlower lips, an adjusting screw threaded through one of the webs, a locknut for said ad]usting screw, and a frontv clamp bolt passing throughthe front clamp plate and the other web of the 12. In a bumpermechanism, front bumper bars, a rear truss bar, a center clamp holdingsaid truss bar under tension, a clamp near each end of the rear trussbar which clamps the truss bar to the front bumper Y bars, said trussbar terminating in a curve of approximately semi-circular form, the rearend of said curve being clamped to the vehicle.

13. In a bumper mechanism, the combina-y and the other end of said:resistance memberY being mounted on the front bumper` bars.

14. In a bumper mechanism, the combination of front and rear bumperbars, a resistance member-having aneye formed at its Y front end, aclamp plate clamped to the front bumper bar by a bolt, an upper and allower lip projecting1 from said clamp, the eye ofthe resistance memberrestin between said u per and lower li s 0% the clamp, and a bolt passinthrong the lips of the clamp and eye of t e resistance member therebymaking a pivotal connection between the resistance member and frontbumper bars. f p

In testimony whereof I ax my si ature.

EMIL F.r OHLENDORF. 5.]

